


Hidden in the Deep

by Maiokoe



Series: Modern Marvels [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: #412domestic, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, I promise, M/M, Minor other pairings, References to Depression, Supernatural Creatures, Supernatural Elements, akafuriday2016, also modern, attempted suicide, but like not mermaids?, generation of miracles - Freeform, mermaid au, nothing major, so fantasy elements, water elementals?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-01 23:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6541066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiokoe/pseuds/Maiokoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He watched, just as he always did. Just watched. Always buried deep within the waters, he kept out of sight.</p>
<p>And watched.</p>
<p>He watched the boy grow up, watched that very first summer. Watched as he grew and the mother stopped coming. Watched as the boy returned but the father eventually did not. Watched as he still grew until he was old enough to know better.</p>
<p>Watched as he dove into his waters and breathed. Watched as he let himself go.</p>
<p>But he couldn’t watch this. Not again. He wouldn’t let another life be lost in his waters; he already felt too guilty for the last one, despite his own young age and fear of the consequences.</p>
<p>This time, he wouldn’t just watch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hidden in the Deep

He watched. That’s all. To be fair, it’s all he could really do.

By law, he was forbidden to interfere, so watching was _all_ he could do. It was to protect him, he knew that, but he wished he wasn’t bound to just _watch_.

Sometimes, he wanted a friend, wished for someone to laugh with. He was so alone sometimes, isolated as he was, but he bore it well. There’d been a time, when he was much younger, that he was deathly afraid of humans, of what they could do, and he stuck to those laws, refusing to get close to them.

He was older now, but he still stuck to those laws. Humans were still scary, but not as much as they once used to be. Some were like him, alone and isolated, and he felt for them, really he did. He knew what it was like. But very few were _like_ him; they at-least had families to return to, friends to help them, loved ones to walk with them.

But him? He was totally _alone_.

So he watched. Deep, hidden deep in the waters, he watched as the days and seasons passed, watched as the children came and went, growing every year until the returned grown, some with little ones of their own. Watched as everyone grew taller and then shorter once again—if they even still came to his waters.

But there was a time, a long time, if he understood correctly, when _years_ passed with no one coming to his humble little lake.

He didn’t understand. No one had seen him. No one knew he was there. Why did they all stop coming?

For the first time in a very long time, he pulled away from the depths, spiraling up to the clearer waters slowly, eyes shooting all around, looking for any sign of humans.

Nothing.

And when he finally, _finally_ , reached the surface, he broke the water hesitantly. It’d been a long time since he’d seen the land, but it seemed it had changed. Where fields had once surrounded most of his home, the southern end bearing a forest a few meters away from his shore, now trees grew all around, enclosing his home like a wall.

Was that why they stopped coming? Had they lost sight of his home? But, no, it wasn’t a gradual loss, it was sudden. And no one ever saw him so they couldn’t have been scared away…

“ _Masaomi, let’s swim!”_ He squeaked, diving back down, the water rippling as he sank. “ _It’s such a beautiful day!”_ He slipped behind rocks, watching his waters, zeroing in on the splashing from the west, the water shifting and vibrating at the intrusion.

_“If you want.”_

A form, graceful and elegant, dove into his depths, skin pale and hair a brilliant crimson, vibrant against the blue backdrop. He couldn’t help but watch her, the first human in years. She was beautiful, that was obvious and apparent. Her eyes were closed as she swam gracefully, cutting through the water like it held no resistance.

But then she paused where she swam, turning and shifting to float vertically, her hair spreading out around her like a halo.

And she opened brilliant red eyes, staring directly at him.

He could only stare back, terror clawing up his throat. A human had seen him. _A human had seen him_. He was going to die. All the laws in his world couldn’t protect him now: this human would be the death of him, he’d die, alone and cold in his waters, or he’d be torn away, trapped in a “lab” and die in their world, the air too thin, too dry for him.

She smiled, bubbles escaping from behind her lips before she surged upwards, breaking through to the surface. “ _Masaomi, your family really owns this lake?”_

_“They do.”_

_“I bet all the fish get lonely without all the people coming anymore.”_

_“Doubtful. Please don’t go so far out, Shiori; it gets deep, okay?”_

_“It’s fine, it’s fine! I like this lake!”_

_“T-that’s all well and good, but there **are** undercurrents, Shiori!”_ The woman dove back under, diving down a few meters before drawing to a stop once more, opening her eyes to smile at him once again. “ _Shiori?!”_

The woman opened her mouth but her voice was lost in the water. He felt their vibrations though and watched as she swam through his waters once more, swimming closer to the shore. She broke through the surface, laughing and reassuring her friend that she was fine.

‘ _I won’t ever tell.’_

* * *

They came back every year, the two of them, Shiori and her friend, Masaomi. He would dive deep, hiding in the darkness of his waters and watching their forms dancing above him, Shiori strong and sure, graceful, while Masaomi moved with purpose, with no unnecessary movements. Of the two of them, Shiori was the better swimmer, Masaomi getting by with just what he need.

Sometimes, an older couple would walk along the shore, sometimes coming with them, other times visiting his lake when the teens weren’t there.

From Shiori’s conversations, Masaomi’s family bought his lake— _how could someone **buy** his lake?—_ but didn’t visit often. It was Masaomi who invited Shiori and since she loved the water, they came often.

Once, there were loud voices coming from the west, a lot of people and the chatter of children. He brightened, a smile on his lips as he watched the waters.

There were humans again. Humans in his lake.

But they didn’t stay long and when night fell, a hush fell over his lake. Then, and only then, did he dare rise, peeking out towards the west where a manor now stood, lights on and shadowy figures moving within. He could hear, faintly, music. He hadn’t heard music in a long time, but he remembered those melodies, the warmth of the strings.

Time continued to pass and a “dock” was built, a wooden structure jutting out on his waters. He could hear the people on it, see their feet dangling into the water, and he smiled lightly, glad they could still enjoy his world.

He always feared for humans when they dove into his domain. Even Shiori, as beautiful a swimmer as she was, he always feared when she came too far away from shore, or dove too deep into the depths.

He remembered that child, long ago. He remembered when he was so very young and watched as that child came into his world and never returned to his own. He was too afraid of the laws then, too afraid of humans to help, so he always feared for them, silently begged of them not to join him in his waters. He was lonely, yes, but watching as the life left them, the skin going pale in the blue of his home was a terrifying thing and he never wanted to see it again.

* * *

“ _Sei-chan, it’s alright, don’t cry! The water won’t hurt you!”_ He perked at the voice, pulling away form the darkness of the rocks to drift up, watching the west as the voices vibrated and echoed around his waters.

Shiori was back. She’d been gone awhile.

“ _Mommy!”_ And a child. A child was in his lake. The familiar panic seized him and he crept closer, keeping to the rocks and keeping away from the surface, but closer all the same. “ _Cold!”_ The child laughed, splashing echoing.

“ _Yeah, the water’s cold, huh, Sei-chan?”_ Shiori had a child. And she brought her child to his lake.

“ _Shiori, not too far, he’s too young!”_ Masaomi. So they married? Was that why they hadn’t been back? That’s nice.

“ _He’s fine, Masaomi! I wouldn’t let him go far anyway! Huh, Sei-chan? You’re not big enough yet to swim with the fishies!”_

_“Fishie! Fishie Fishie!”_ He sank back down at the sounds of their laughter, smiling.

There were humans at his lake again.

* * *

By his reckoning, Seijuuro is five when he tries diving like his mother for the first time. He had watched, as he always did when the little boy was in his waters, and he saw the bubbles fluttering up to the surface, the boy flailing and just making an all around racket. Shiori was there immediately and the boy was in her arms, sobbing.

He didn’t realize his mother took a deep breath before she dove and he sucked down a good amount of lake water by accident.

He listened as he sobbed on the shore, refusing to go near the water, screaming even when his father tried to stand him up in the little waves on the shore. Masaomi, he learned over the years, was a busy man and didn’t seem to have the same patience as Shiori did. It was the man who moved away, calling that he would be in the office up at the house while Shiori stayed to calm Seijuuro down.

He felt bad, he really did, but there was a sense of relief in the boy’s refusal to come back into his waters. Sure, he was lonely, but if it meant another life lost in his lake, he wished all the humans would stay far, far away.

Seijuuro didn’t go in the water the rest of the trip and they left a few days early, leaving him, once again, alone in his lake.

* * *

The next summer, they returned and Seijuuro was willing to try again, wading into the water and holding tight to his mother’s hand. Masaomi hadn’t come this time, work piling up, but mother and son were at the lake, Shiori easing him in, strange orange things around his arms.

He splashed around in the shallows, Shiori wading around with him. Both were having fun, despite the boy’s hesitance in his water.

He didn’t mind. He didn’t mind if Seijuuro kept his distance. It was good to be careful around the water. Not all his kind stuck to the laws. The laws were there to protect _them_ , not the humans.

The laws said nothing about the protection of humans and if some felt the need to pull them down, down into the dark, so be it.

A flash of red and he startled, looking up with wide eyes at the pale form of Shiori, the mother diving down, past where her son still stood in the shallows.

Until she was floating in the water, all blessedly silent. And she opened her once, piercing red smiling at him. He shrank back, still wary. Humans were fickle creatures and changed their minds often. She opened her lips, the words lost once again as the bubbles spiraled upwards.

‘ _I won’t ever tell.’_

He liked her, really he did. She was a pretty woman, a graceful creature in the water. If he didn’t know better, he would think she was one of his kind who gave up their forms for a human; but that was nonsense and old stories.

_“Sei-chan, have I told you about the spirit of the lake?”_ He tensed. She had brought something like this up, back when the older couple still visited with them.

_“No. There’s a spirit?”_

_“Of-course! He protects the lake and everyone who swims in it! He’ll watch over you whenever you’re in the water. Some even say, if you come out on a warm night and watch the lights reflect the water, you’ll see him, swimming beneath the waves, the light shimmering off his scales, making him glow. Doesn’t that sound nice, Sei-chan?”_

_“So… I won’t swallow water no more?”_ He couldn’t help his smile.

_“W-well, Sei-chan, not like that. You still have to be careful, you know. Remember like we practiced in the pool? You have to take a big breath and cover your nose, or be like Mommy and blow out!”_

_“Oh.”_

_“Maybe… we’ll come out tonight? And see if we can see him? We’ll sit on the dock, okay?”_

_“…okay. Can we say hi?”_

_“Ah… We might not see him, Sei-chan…”_

If he had anything to say about it, they’d never see him. Children were loud creatures by nature. He was still iffy about Shiori knowing about him, but a child would just cause trouble.

But it was… nice. Being remembered.

* * *

Small ripples grew outward as tiny rocks fell into the water. The sun was setting, casting everything in shades of gold as he watched the ripples distort the color.

“ _Mom said… you’d listen. That if I talked, you would listen. I don’t know if I believe there’s a spirit, but she said… she said to tell my problems to the water… That—that the ripples would take them away, smooth everything out…”_

He heard the sniffling of the boy before the child spoke. Seijuuro was back, but his parents were not. An older couple had joined him when he came down to the shore, but he didn’t recognize them and they only stood by as he waded in, floating on his back for a while before he rejoined them and returned to the house. It was odd, not hearing the voices.

He missed having humans in his lake. The silence reminded him too much of when they had all stopped coming.

“ _Mom… Mother’s sick. She’s in the hospital. I wanted to stay, but Father insisted I come. I didn’t want to, not really… It’s not fun… swimming without her. Father’s working while they run more tests, but I don’t want to be here without her. I think I want to go home, so I’m with her. She hasn’t been feeling well for awhile…”_ He’d noticed that, the last summer. She had come in for a bit, but stayed in the shallows, the water almost to her knees, before she stepped out and curled on the blanket spread in the sand.

He… almost missed their yearly meeting. Almost.

“ _Mom says… That you protect the lake and those who swim in it… Does that mean you protect them, even if they aren’t in the water? ‘Cause I really want mom to get better…”_ The ripples stopped as he stopped tossing in the rocks. Instead, he watched the boy curl his knees to his chest, curled up on the dock, so small, and cry.

* * *

 Only Seijuuro came the next summer, spending his time on the dock, feet dangling in the water as he leaned against one of the posts, gazing blankly out at his lake. “ _Mother died. I suppose spirits can’t do much to stop cancer, can they?”_

The boy sounded startlingly mature, but he guessed Seijuuro was barely out of his adolescence. Maybe twelve? Still such a child…

“ _I guess… you can’t help that, can you? Mother used to tell me stories, how you were a boy who just loved the water so much you were eventually granted a life in it.”_

That was hardly the truth.

“ _And that you protected this lake and those who came to it. Mother said there were never any deaths here.”_

Again, so very wrong.

“ _Mother loved the water, but I never got the hang of swimming and diving. It seems unnecessary, going under water and holding your breath, hoping you made it back up.”_

At-least the boy would be safe.

“ _I liked playing basketball with Mother, so I’m going to continue that. Father insists I still come and spend the summers here, but I’m not sure that the best use of my time.”_

He was going to regret this. He was already regretting it. But, he slipped out from his home among the rocks and forgotten roots and weeds, swimming slowly up, keeping away from the clearer spots and staying in the ever growing darkness as the sun continued to dip behind the trees.

He wanted to protect the humans, but he also wanted them to come. He liked hearing them have fun. He didn’t want Seijuuro to leave, he didn’t want to be totally alone again.

From the quick gasp, he gathered the boy saw him shimmer as the last light finally disappeared. Job down, he sank back into the darkness, watching the shadows grow and lights flick to life from the house.

“ _I-It was probably a fish… Ju-just a fish…”_

But he knew Seijuuro knew better. He just wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

* * *

When loud voices echoed around his lake, he perked at the noise.

Children? In his lake again? No, men.

Seijuuro still returned every summer but Masaomi never returned. The older couple, housekeepers (whatever those were) accompanied Seijuuro down to the water until last year, when he expressed that he was old enough not to need chaperones. He was growing taller, losing all his childish looks and growing up. His voice had grown colder and he worried that he was becoming like Masaomi and would stop coming, but he came earlier this summer, sitting once more at the dock and dangling his feet in the water, tossing pebbles every so often and watching the ripples.

“ _I’ve made friends. Well, I suppose ‘remade’ would be the best term. I lost them, you see, but one of them knocked some sense into me. We all get along again now, perhaps better than before. I invited them out here, I hope you don’t mind. I’ve kept up with basketball and luckily, it’s all worked out that we have free time around the same time. Of-course, Midorima has to cut it short to return for his team’s camp and Kise will be coming late due to a shoot, but the others will stay the week. I don’t mind Kuroko and Murasakibara, but I am a little concerned about Aomine and Kagami. They don’t get along very well, you see, and without Momoi, I’m afraid it might end in bloodshed. Luckily, she’s coming, so I don’t have to worry about that. It’d be a pity, don’t you think? The first death on this lake having nothing to do with the water.”_

He wished there would be no deaths, but this isn’t a perfect world. But he’d take Seijuuro’s word that this Momoi person would keep them in line.

_“I’m wondering, though, if it wouldn’t also be a good idea to allow them to bring a friend, a teammate. Midorima would no doubt bring Takao, and Murasakibara would bring Himuro. Kagami and Kuroko might bring one of their fellow first-years, but I don’t think they’re particularly close to either of them. None of the second-years either. Kise would probably beg his Captain to come and Kasamatsu would probably agree. He deserves a nice break for dealing with the blond anyway. Aomine has Momoi, but I hear he’s finally making nice with his teammates. Sakurai is skittish around him, but the two seem relatively close.”_

There was a long moment as Seijuuro was no doubt thinking, and he chanced shifting closer, keeping to the deep and swimming lazily as he watched the ripples start up again.

_“Though, I should be fair and invite my own teammates… Hayama is particularly loud, and paired with Nebuya, no doubt there’d be a lot of noise. Mibuchi might calm them down, but I won’t hold my breath, given his penchant for tanning.”_

He didn’t know what ‘tanning’ was, but he hoped it wasn’t something violent.

“ _This is becoming quite a production… I should probably just stick to us Miracles. It’s probably for the best.”_ Silence fell once more, but it wasn’t strained. He didn’t mind it, trailing his fingers across the rocks as he floated idly. “ _I should get to it then. I leave tomorrow morning. I just needed to get away from Father for a little bit. There’s a dinner tomorrow and he’s going to introduce me to some of his colleagues’ daughters. He seems keen on marrying me off, like we’re still in Victorian England.”_ He pulled his feet from the water. “ _I’ll be back in a month. I do hope everyone likes to swim.”_

And he was back, just as he said. He shrank down into the depths, watching the outlines far above him swirl, splashing and laughing. They were all exceptionally tall for being Seijuuro’s age—sixteen?  One was scarily large, his form cutting through the water and leaving small waves in his wake.

“ _Bakagami! Bet I can dive further than you!”_

No. No no no, please, don’t try. 

_“Haah? You’re on, Ahomine!”_

_“Please restrain yourselves from going too deep. It’d be a hassle to drag your corpses to shore, Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun.”_

_“So morbid, Tetsu.”_

_“Ku-kuroko! Why would you say something like that?!”_

_“It is the truth, Kagami-kun. Dead weight is quite heavy.”_ The two loud ones seemed to forget about their contest and he huffed out a relieved breath.

“ _Try not to make such a racket. I heard stories growing up of a spirit residing in the lake. Though I hardly believe in such things, I’d rather not chance having multiple suspicious drownings on Akashi land.”_

_“Wow, leave it to Akashi to bring us to a cursed lake.”_

_“I said no such thing as a ‘curse,’ Aomine.”_

_“Nah, just implied it.”_

_“Take it as you will.”_ He couldn’t help his smile, snickering lightly and cutting through the water, copying the movements of the redhead floating above him. “ _I’ve never heard of anything happening here, but it’d be unfortunate to break such a long winning streak.”_

_“I agree, Akashi-kun. Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun, please save your violent tendencies for after we’ve left Akashi-kun’s company.”_

_“You act like we’re savages, Kuroko!”_

_“Oh. Was I not direct enough? Apologies. Kagami-kun, Aomine-kun, you’re—“_

_“We get it, thanks, Tetsu!”_

It was the most fun he’d had in such a long time.

* * *

 “ _W-what was that?!”_ He snickered, shifting back into the darkness.

“ _Congrats, Bakagami. You saw a fish.”_ Aomine drawled.

“ _That was way too big to be a fish!”_ He really shouldn’t tease them like this, but he couldn’t remember the last time there’d been so many people in his waters, so many voices all calling out to each other and happy. “ _Akashi! What’d you say about spirits?!”_

_“Ah, the old stories? Mother once told me it was a boy who loved the water so much he was given a home in it. He guards and protects the lake and all those who come to it. But once they leave the protection of his waters, any manner of foul deeds may befall them. Not to worry, Kagami. Some of the fish do get rather large.”_ Hardly. He had to eat _something_ and as the biggest predator here, they never got too big. “ _Shall we tell ghost stories around a fire now?”_

_“No!”_

_“Oh?”_

_“You don’t think staying in that huge mansion in a large forest right on a lake with some spirit in it isn’t scary enough?!”_

“ _Oho~? Is Kagamicchi scared~?”_

_“A-as if!”_

_“Great! I’ll go first then!”_ Laughter resounded in the growing darkness as they trailed away and off the dock, stamping up to a fire pit closer to the house.

He took a calming breath in, edging his way towards the dock and sneaking under the shadowed water, breaking the surface and watching from behind a post as they gathered around the fire that was large and bright, their forms glowing in the light of the flames as the sun set.

He watched well into the night, as the fire would dim and wood would be added, burning bright once again, as the sun disappeared completely and the moon rose above the trees, bathing everything in gentle silver light, as the shadows lengthened and the night grew long. He watched as they all eventually left the grass, disappearing into the house, the laughter fading before lights lit the manor before disappearing once again.

And as silence befell his home, he pulled away from the dock, twirling to lay on his back, gazing up at the moon, a smile on his face.

He was alone, but he wasn’t lonely. Humans would come and go as the time passed, but there would always be someone who came back. He didn’t mind if it was just the quiet boy he watched grow up, come to tell his troubles to the water. He didn’t mind if he just came once a summer. Once was enough, enough to remember that someone still came to his lake.

“I’m happy,” he whispered to the moon. “I’m happy to have met Shiori. I’m happy to play the part, if it means he comes back. I don’t mind just being a figure in the shadows… just as long as they come back.”

He pulled backwards, disappearing back into the water with a quiet splash.

* * *

 The next summer, just Seijuuro returned and he dangled his feet in the water, silent as he tossed pebbles in. He wondered where his friends were, the loud ones who came last year. He wondered how Masaomi was doing, the man never coming to his lake.

“ _Mother told me once, that no one in this world is alone. I wonder about that sometimes. Sometimes, I feel alone. Father hasn’t been the same, since Mother died. But I shouldn’t be surprised; he wasn’t the most compassionate person when she was alive. I just… feel tired.”_

He was seventeen. Still too young. Still just a child. So young.

“ _I’m to graduate next year and then go to college. Higher education and all. Father expects Todai and I’d hate to disappoint him—well, I suppose that isn’t right. I strive to be absolute. Or, I did. Kuroko’s got me thinking about it all. Do I live only for my Father’s approval and to play a pawn in his game of life? Or do I have my own to live? I wonder if it’s even all worth it.”_

He’s too young, he thought, the familiar feeling of terror rising in his chest, watching his form through the water.

“ _But I’ll be the best and get in, just as I’m expected to. Business management, like Father, and then work in the company for a few years until Father turns it over to me. I’m supposed to run the company, my legacy. An Akashi, after-all, is perfect in all facets of life.”_ Seijuuro sighed heavily and he wondered if this was too much to place on the shoulders of such a young man. The world seemed to have changed so much from what he remembered. “ _I wonder what you look like, spirit. I’ve seen flashes of shimmering scales, so I wonder if you are just a fish. But Mother told me once she saw you, spoke even, but you said nothing back. Did you not understand, or not know to speak? Is that why you never responded to my mother?”_

He never spoke because words were forbidden by law—but he wonders how they would know he spoke in the first place. He never saw any of his kind, unless they took another form. But they never sought him out, the baby of his family, youngest of his generation. His own parents left long ago for the waters of the sea, leaving him here alone in the lake that grew so small. His brother was gone as well, spirited off to a faraway sea where he hoped he was happy.

So, what was stopping him from speaking with this human boy who seemed so lonely?

The laws. The laws that kept him safe.

“ _If I joined you in the water, would you speak to me?”_

He lurched forward towards the dock, forgetting himself for a moment, seeing the shadow of the boy grow as he drew close. He drew short, dropping back down, sinking quickly and hoping he hadn’t noticed.

“ _So you’re afraid.”_

_He noticed._

_“I suppose we are loud, aren’t we? But you haven’t drowned us yet, so I can’t imagine you dislike us. Or do you just put up with us? Either way. It must bore you, the troubles of a boy.”_

He sank deeper into the shadows of the lake, hoping the boy would leave. Leave him alone. Leave him forever. He wasn’t supposed to get close to humans, wasn’t supposed to let them know he was here. The laws forbade such a thing.

He could only watch. That’s all. Watch as they grew and disappeared. Watched as this boy came summer after summer.

He wasn’t supposed to interfere.

So he hid away, the boy speaking softly, voice muffled by the water above him. Time passed and the boy grew silent, until the sun was setting and he gave a soft good-bye, pulling his feet from the water and walking away.

* * *

He hated the summer storms. He didn’t like the rain that would beat down in sheets on his water and the lightning that would flash across the sky, the thunder that would echo and rumble around him. He didn’t like the noise and the light. Rain he didn’t mind, but it was the storms he disliked.  

He’d heard of the storms from long ago that would break ships, its passengers left in the water to drown, his kind watching from afar, some with pity and others with glittering eyes. He hated the stories of the people who dove into the crashing waves during storms, ending their lives in the water, willingly leaving it all.

Mostly, he feared Seijuuro would join their ranks one stormy night, coming to his home to leave it all. He hoped the boy was stronger, but he saw the boy growing more and more tired, watched as he would simply stare out listlessly at the water. Or speak, voice low and monotone, speak of his final year of school, speak of college and the expectations his father thrust on him. Speak of his friends and their own adventures, a smile tinging his words but never his lips. Speak of the apartment in the city that was empty of voices but full of outside sound. Speak of the study sessions that would grow as his friends invited their own friends.

He spoke of Kuroko and Kagami, how they ‘found each other’ ( _“A Shadows and his Light. I’m happy for them.”_ ) of Kagami’s brother, Himuro, and Murasakibara, Kise and Kasamatsu, Aomine finally realizing he couldn’t really function without Momoi, Midorima and Takao.

“ _So where does that leave me, I wonder? Father seems intent on marrying me as soon as I graduate. So three more years of freedom—if you could call this freedom.”_

He really worried about him.

* * *

 He was up on the surface, staring up at the sky. No one came after the leaves starting falling from the trees, too cold for lake houses and swimming, so he was safe from sight.

Except he heard the familiar sound of one of those automobiles, the faint sound of gravel crushed under the wheels. He immediately dove, leaving ripples in his wake. They must be closing it late, is all. No one would be coming, it was too cold. But he dove further down all the same, watching the surface for the familiar ripples, for the little stones to drop down, sinking to the floor.

That was not a rock.

That was most definitely not a rock. He didn’t know _what_ it was, but it was something rectangular and smooth. And it was thrown much further out than the stones ever were.

He looked up, seeing him standing at the edge of the dock, form heaving, hair messy. “ _Mother, forgive me.”_

He was charged to always watch. Never interfere, stay out of sight. And just _watch_.

Watch as the boy grew up, watch from that very first summer. Watch as he grew and the mother stopped coming. Watch as the boy returned but the father eventually did not. Watch as he still grew until he was old enough to know better.

Watch as he dove into his waters, dove deep, legs kicking strong, just like his mother. Watch as he breathed. Watch as he let himself go.

But he couldn’t watch this. Not again. He wouldn’t let another life be lost in his waters; he already felt too guilty for the last one, despite his own young age and fear of the consequences.

This time, he couldn’t just watch.

Familiar crimson eyes opened as he floated in the waters, gazed right at him, wide in surprise.

Rage.

“Idiot!” He screamed, but the boy’s arms were limp. He was too far down, dove too far in the frigid waters to go back up. He wore too many clothes, the layers pulling him down further.

Unless he helped. Laws be damned, he couldn’t let another die in his waters. He didn’t care about the consequences—he couldn’t let this boy die, he couldn’t live with it.

The jacket was torn off, his own arms wrapping around Seijuuro, crimson eyes closing in the freezing waters, lips already staining blue. He wouldn’t claim to be the strongest, but he was still strong enough to pull the boy up, tug him to the sandy shore and bring him up into the air. He couldn’t move too far away from the water, his form too clumsy for land, but he could at-least go far enough for the human boy to breathe.

But he wasn’t breathing. Why wasn’t he breathing? He was out of the water, shouldn’t he be breathing?

“S-seijuuro?” he whispered, fingers reaching out to brush at his face. The boy had always been pale, but in the dim afternoon light and after that _refreshing_ dip in the autumn waters, he was near translucent.

Had he always been this cold?

“Sei—seijuuro, wake up,” he shook the boy’s shoulder, leaning over him. “Seijuuro, wake up! Wake up!” He shook harder, but the boy still wasn’t breathing. What did the humans do in this situation?! No one ever did something stupid like this before, so what was he supposed to do!? “Sei!”

The boy’s chest heaved and he lurched onto his side, coughing and hacking, water choked out of his lungs, staining the sand beneath them. He raised himself up on his elbows, breathing heavily.

But he was breathing. Thank the gods.

“Y-you… You…” He pulled away from the intense red gaze, inching back towards the water that was safe (for him, anyway) and away from the human laying on the sand next to him. “You’re _real_ …”

Of-course he was real.

“Mother—Mother told me about you.” Those eyes were even more beautiful up close, but the boy was still so pale, lips still stained blue, form shivering. His voice was different when it wasn’t muddled by the water. “But you’re _real…_ You saved me?”

He managed a wobbly smile, trying to slip further away, back into the water. “G-guardian spirit, remember?” he whispered, terrified of this human boy before him. Humans were dangerous, not only to his kind but to themselves. Such power and they willingly throw themselves to their deaths.

Seijuuro smiled and it was all he could do to keep breathing, remembering the laws that kept him safe. This boy with brilliant hair and vibrant eyes was dangerous, he had to remind himself, humans could be dangerous. Pull away, hurry, return to the waters, a quiet voice insisted, back to where it’s safe.

He tried to obey, but Seijuuro reached out, grabbing his wrist and holding onto him. “Don’t go!”

“N-no, I—I can’t, I have—I wasn’t supposed to!” he nearly wailed, frozen at the boy’s touch.

“Supposed to save me?” Seijuuro’s eyes were boring into him, intense and hard. “Mother said you protect the waters, don’t you?”

“Not—not really, please, please, I can’t—I wasn’t supposed to interfere!” The boy shivered again and he felt compelled to follow through with this idiotic plan of his. He saved him, after-all, might as well make sure he didn’t die of hypothermia. “Pl-please, you need to… to go to the house. Warm up…” he tugged a little at his wrist, but Seijuuro held tight. “Please…”

“You weren’t supposed to interfere?” He could only nod, still tugging a little at his wrist. “Why not?” But he shook his head, tugging a little harder now. “Are you a ningyo?”

“A what? O-oh, no…” He forgot about Japan’s folklore. But he wasn’t from these waters. Not really. “Pl-please, you need—need to go, warm up, or you’ll fr-freeze…”     

“Will you stay here?” He blinked and Seijuuro leaned closer. “If I go warm up, will you stay here?”

He didn’t have anywhere else to go. This lake was his home, after-all. So he nodded slowly. Seijuuro let go of his wrist and he pulled himself away, hurrying for the safety of the cold, turning when he was a few meters out, watching the boy watch him curiously. He ducked under the water and he watched as the boy started, inching closer to the lake that almost took his life. He popped his head back up, watching him from over the smooth surface of the lake. “I…” Seijuuro’s eyes brightened. “I’m an ondine… a water spirit.”

“What’s your name?”

Oh… Oh it’d been so long since he’d spoken it…

“Kouki.”

Seijuuro smiled, a brilliant smile, before he fell flat, shivers racking his body, convulsing and out cold.

* * *

When Seijuuro awoke, he was in the house, blankets piled on and around him, cocooning him. Almost to the point of overheating. “Are… are you… okay?” He twitched, turning his head to look at the brunet kneeling before him. He stared at the sight, trying to comprehend who this boy was and why he was in his house. “Seijuuro?”

“You’re the spirit… Kouki.” The ondine nodded slowly, watching him cautiously. “But… Wait… Your tail?”

It was odd. The boy before him barely looked older than him, but he was dressed in an elegant kimono, pale blue like the summer sky and scales decorating the fabric, glimmering fish swimming across it. Such a beautiful kimono was meant for special events, not everyday use like Kouki seemed to be using if for.

Kouki looked down at his lap, hands fiddling with the fabric. His hair is oddly spiky, but that can only be because it’s dry. “I… This, um… Y-you fainted, so, I had to… And, uh, I couldn’t…” He can’t seem to find the words to explain the situation, but Seijuuro got the gist of it.

“Thank you.” Seijuuro sat up slowly and the boy was immediately leaning forward, easing him back down. “I’m alright now, I just—“

“No, please, you need—you need to rest!” His eyes are frantic and it’s that panic that makes Seijuuro lay back down, let the boy cover him again, fussing and mumbling to himself. He pulled back once Seijuuro is settled, hands back in his lap, a frown still marring his features. “Why…” he stopped, looking down, brows pulling together as he looked at a silver fish beneath his hand. His voice was a whisper, “Why would you do it?”

“I’ve been telling you my problems for years. I’m sure you can manage to come up with something.” He didn’t mean to make it sound as cruel as it does, but he didn’t really want to talk about it.

Kouki looked up, brown eyes narrowed and angry. “You tried to drown yourself in _my_ lake. Didn’t your mother tell you that I would protect you?” Seijuuro looked away, the angry look on Kouki’s face leaving as he took a breath. “But she was wrong.”

“About your protection?” Seijuuro glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

Koukii offered him a tired smile, scooting back a little from the couch. “About there… being no deaths. In my lake.” Seijuuro stared at him, watched as Kouki bowed his head. “T-there was a child… so long ago. I was young, I… I didn’t save him. I was… The laws, they forbid me from interfering with humans. So I was afraid. And he died.” He looked up, brown eyes watery. “Why would you try to put me through that again?”

“I assure you, it wasn’t any attempt to spite you,” Seijuuro murmured.

“Do you hate your life so much? You told me about your friends, your schooling. Do you hate it all so much?” Kouki asked, swiping at his eyes with his sleeve.

Seijuuro gazed at him for a long time.

“No. I suppose I don’t.”

“Then… please don’t… Please don’t ever do that again.” Kouki rose, gliding gracefully towards the patio doors and out them, snapping them shut behind him. Seijuuro scrambled out of the blankets, trailing behind him, the doors crashing open. Kouki was already down the yard, stepping onto the dock, bare feet silent on the wood.

“Kouki!” The brunet continued walking as Seijuuro stumbled after him. “Where are you going?!”

Kouki stepped out onto the water, ripples spiraling outwards until he was yards away, Seijuuro skidding to a stop at the edge of the pier. Kouki turned then, brown eyes watching the redhead. He tilted his head, smiling a bit. “These are my waters, after-all. And I protect all who swim in them. You need to rest, Seijuuro. Rest and go home. Speak to your friends. You tell me about your father and being forced to marry. Don’t keep it locked up. You need to speak. You’ve always told your troubles to the water.” Kouki dropped into his home, Seijuuro reaching out a hand before a soft glow was seen beneath the surface. Brown hair popped back up, a pale torso tapering into beautiful azure scales. “Now it’s time for you to speak to another. If you’re so unhappy, reach out for those friends. Reach out a hand, and one will reach back for you.”

“Are you leaving me too?” Kouki swam closer to the dock, reaching up his own hand to grasp Seijuuro’s. The boy’s skin was still cold, but Kouki’s was surprisingly warm, if not a little wet.

“No. But I can’t follow you, not like your friends can.” Kouki smiled up at him before letting go and pulling away. “I’ll see you in the summer, Seijuuro.”

* * *

“You’re what?” Kise and Aomine stared at him, while Midorima blinked rapidly. Murasakibara didn’t seem alarmed and Kuroko’s expressions were always hard to decipher. Kagami’s jaw was dropped in surprise.

Akashi smiled back at them, sipping at his water. “Dual major. I’ve always been fascinated by our old folklore. A business major isn’t too difficult and if I take classes during the winter breaks I will still graduate as scheduled. As it stands, I am already plenty advanced, given I’ve tested out in many first years classes.” That had been according to plan so he could graduate a year early, but if he picked up this dual major, he would graduate with everyone else instead. Which was what he wanted to do to begin with.

“And… what does your father think about this, Akashi-kun?” Kuroko asked quietly.

“Ah. Well, I’ve already discussed it with my advisor and it turns out one of Japan’s foremost researchers in the field will be guest teaching the year after next. Dr. Samada and Father actually go way back, so he doesn’t have a problem with it—as long as it doesn’t disrupt my business studies.” Kuroko nodded, nudging Kagami, who snapped his jaw shut. “Ah, which reminds me. I’ll be taking the summer break at my family’s lake house. Would anyone care to join me?”

* * *

 “Akashi-san, I don’t wish to alarm you, but,” his housekeeper murmured as they stepped aside, his friends all chattering in the front room. “There was a stranger here a few days ago, when some of the staff came to open up the house.”

Akashi frowned, gazing around the house curiously. “In here?”

“No, sir. Outside. On the dock. We merely assumed he lived in the area. We haven’t seen the boy since. I just wanted to inform you.”

Akashi inclined his head. “Thank you, Himasa. I’m sure that’s it.” The man bowed, stepping away.

A boy was sitting on the dock, huh?

“Akashicchi! Are we swimming?” Kise called from the other room and Akashi clicked open the doors, motioning out towards the lake. The blond cheered, prancing forward, the others following at a slower pace. “So so, Akashicchi! Seen the spirit lately?”

Akashi smiled as Kagami stiffened up. “Mm. It was probably just a fish.” And as they got to the dock, Aomine pushed Kagami in, the redhead pulling back up, spluttering. “Careful, Kagami.”

“That was hardly my—S-SOMETHING TOUCHED ME!” They’d never seen him jump quite so high, clinging to the dock post and staring accusingly at the water. Takao rose up moments later, smirking triumphantly. “This means war!” And with a battle cry to rival any soldier, he dove back in, tackling the eagle-eye, much to Midorima’s displeasure.

Far out, in the deeper parts, Akashi saw a glimmer of scales in the summer sun.

* * *

 “Sir,” Himasa knocked on the door before he entered stiffly, bowing. Akashi cocked a brow.

“Yes?”

“There…” The man seemed to be having trouble trying to say what he needed to. A moment longer and he took in a breath. By now, their guests were watching the exchange curiously. “The boy from a few days has returned. Shall I see him escorted off?” Akashi rose fluidly, going to the window and peering out, narrowing his eyes and trying to see past the glare of the room’s lights.

“Oooh, there’s a suspicious person?” Takao and Kise immediately plastered themselves to the next window. “Eh? He’s dressed so formally for a walk in the woods!” which caught the rest’s attention (save Atsushi, who was too interested in the snack tray to bother) all rising and moving towards the windows.

Akashi could only stare.

“Sir?”

“No, it’s… It’s fine. He’s a friend. Please, excuse me.” He stepped towards the doors and when they made to follow, he quirked a brow. “And… where are you going?”

“With… you?” Kise tilted his head, blond hair flopping over.

“Ah. No, that’s hardly necessary. He’s… flighty.” And he closed the doors on Kise’s pout, glancing over his shoulder as they all pressed a little closer to the windows, the light now blocked in some places. He wondered how long until they cracked the doors open, hoping to catch some of their conversation. Not that they’d be close enough to hear.

He couldn’t help his smile as he made his way down to the water. Truth be told, Kouki did seem especially formal in his attire, but he supposed the spirit had little cause to take on this form until recently. Though, why hadn’t he taken it earlier? Was he that terrified of humans, even in this other form?

“Welcome back.” Kouki turned slightly, smiling over his shoulder. Akashi copies the smile, nodding slightly.

“I’m surprised you’re here.” Kouki shrugged and Akashi stopped a few feet away. “I didn’t think I’d see you until later, after everyone left.” Kouki turned fully, gazing at him, head tilted to the side. Akashi crossed his arms as the brunet continued with his staring. “What is it?”

“You’re smiling. And you were laughing earlier. I’m glad your friends are here, Seijuuro.”

“Yes, well, I’d hate to ruin your record,” he keeps his voice light, knowing it to be a sore spot for the water spirit. And he’s rewarded with a short laugh and the brunet nodding.

“Another fifty years would be great, thanks.” Akashi blinked. “How is school?” Akashi steps a little closer, a warmer smile on his lips.

“I’ve taken up another major. Something that I actually enjoy.” Kouki beamed, hands raising to clap together.

“Good! It’s time you did something you wanted to do!”

“I’m studying folklore.” Kouki’s smile froze, hands paused at his chest, blinking. “I think I’d like to learn more about the elemental spirits from Greek mythology. European myths are full of such colorful creatures.”

“T-that’s… That’s great…” Kouki ducked his head, looking away and biting his lip. But Akashi could see the smile. “I… I hope you learn all you’d like.”

“I’m thinking,” Akashi slipped another few steps closer, “That spending my entire summer here would be a good break between semesters. It’s nice and quiet, and I’d be surrounded by nature. It’d be a great place to look further into myths and the old stories.” He watched as Kouki raised his hands up, sleeves partially covering his mouth. “I’d have to return home every so often, to appease Father, but staying out here by myself, without any of the staff around… There’s a certain freedom to it, don’t you think?”

“Won’t you be lonely?” Kouki’s voice if slightly muffled by fabric, but brown eyes flicked up to watch him.

“When I have such a great friend living so close by? Hardly.”

* * *

 “ _Tell me about the Ondine’s Curse.”_

_“…what do you know about it?”_

_“When they fall in-love with a human, they can choose to stay with them, living out their lives until the day their chosen love dies. Or, if they’re betrayed by the one they love, both perish. At-least, that’s all I’ve found in the stories.”_

_“T-that’s about the extent of it… But… well… If—if they fall in-love and choose to stay with the human, they… They forfeit their immortality. We can never again return to the water, at-least, not like we’ve always done. We age like a human would, but we would live, until our own natural deaths, regardless of our chosen… p-partners.”_

_“Have you known any to do this?”_

_“It’s… They’re just old stories, Sei… I don’t… I don’t think anyone would trust a human that much to—to give over such a huge part of themselves…”_

_“Would you?”_

_“W-what?”_

_“Would you ever trust someone that much? To give up immortality for the chance to stay with them?”_

_“…”_

_“I see.”_

_“Are… are you…?”_

_“Hm?”_

_“Are you a-asking me to?”_

_“I would never ask it of you. I know how much you want to see your family again.”_

_“Wh-while I would lose… my immortality… I can always… I can always return. If I couldn’t be in the water, I would—would live as close as I could. I would… at-least be with them, for as long as my life would go.”_

_“That’s assuming whoever you gave it up for was a truly despicable human being and left you after asking such a thing of you.”_

_“You wouldn’t.”_

_“I wouldn’t what?”_

_“Leave.”_

_“…no. I wouldn’t.”_

“ _If…”_

_“If…?”_

_“If it was **you** …”_

_“Kouki?”_

_“If it was you… I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t mind. Losing my form.”_

_“I would never ask that of you, Kouki.”_

_“I know. It—It would have to be freely given, a decision all my own.”_

_“Would you? Decide such a thing?”_

_Silence._

_“Kouki, think nothing of it. I was just curious.”_

_“Yes. I could. If it was for you. Because I know you, Sei, I’ve known you for… for a long time.”_

_“I wouldn’t ask you to.”_

_“I know.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Um, yaay? Second post for AkaFuriDay2016~  
> I know I jumped around a lot with the timeline, but I couldn't very well go into detail for every summer.  
> I could probably do a whole lot more with this, but its already ten and I have homework still, so I'll end it here and let you all draw your own conclusions~  
> I know it wasn't really a relationship, more friendship than anything...  
> But I hope you enjoyed it~!


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